Shield
by Mechanical Cerberus
Summary: Well, everyone has to be afraid of something. Mithos x Genis fluff. [Potential spoiler warning]


**Disclaimer: I don't own ToS. I couldn't think of something **_**that**_** good…**

**WARNING****: May contain spoilers. I'm not sure.**

**... Mithos x Genis …**

**After very little persuasion from Serith Moren, Genis and Mithos now compose my favourite ToS couple.**

**Setting & Other Info****: Altessa's house. We all know angels don't sleep from our experiences with Colette and Kratos, so we are going to assume that Mithos does not sleep either.**

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"Hm?" Mithos looked down towards the foot of the bed, where he could feel something shifting the covers. The uninvited warm mass wiggled its way up gracelessly to the top of the blankets. A bright flash lit up the small room, and the loud, booming roar that followed caused all movement to freeze, only a few soft strands of silky silver hair protruding from underneath the covers.

"Genis?" Mithos lifted the corner after all the noise had stopped. "What are you doing?"

Shocked blue eyes looked up at the blond. "I… uh…"

Mithos tilted his head. "What is it?" he asked, in a much softer and less surprised tone than his previous question.

"I just… did I wake you?" the silver-haired youth asked timidly.

"Ah…" Mithos hesitated, "no, no of course not," he covered. "The storm woke me up a while ago. It's been really –" a crash of thunder interrupted his speech, and as the sound faded to a low growl, he continued, "- loud."

Squeezing his eyes shut, Genis buried his face in Mithos' arm, clutching onto the other boy's shirt as he did so. "I hate thunder storms…" he whispered, his body trembling gently. "They're so loud, and so bright, and so –" Genis squeaked and nestled closer to Mithos at yet another clap of thunder.

"Hey, Genis, it's all right," Mithos reassured, "you're safe in here."

"I know, that, okay?!" Genis snapped, although the look in his eyes told Mithos he regretted the aggression instantly. He lowered his gaze again, resting his head against the blond's arm. "Just…" he paused, hiding his face again. "They're…"

"I understand," Mithos interjected. "They can be a little scary –"

"- A lot scary."

Mithos managed a small smile. "They do take some getting used to," he said, tilting his head again. "Genis, do you like the rain?"

"Well, yah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Come," Mithos pulled away from Genis and sat up on the bed. He was illuminated by lightning, and Genis cowered back into the blankets merely at the anticipation of the noise that would surely come. Mithos looked over his shoulder at the shaking youth, and offered his hand. "Genis… you can hold my hand if it would make you feel better."

As Mithos stood to leave, Genis quickly scrambled to his knees and clambered off the bed, clutching onto the blond's hand with both of his own.

He led him to the door, passing their other sleeping companions on the way out of the room. Once they reached Altessa's front door, Genis ducked behind Mithos, and gasped in protest when he saw the other male reach for the doorknob.

"Mithos!" his voice was louder than expected, but he quickly recovered and lowered the volume. "What are you doing?"

"You said you liked the rain, right?"

"Yah, but there's thunder out there!"

"And lightning, too," Mithos nodded, and in Genis' distraction he turned the handle and pulled the door open. They were greeted by the sounds of raindrops splashing in puddles at their feet. It was an absolute downpour.

Cautiously Mithos took a step forward, tugging Genis along behind him. He stopped a short distance from the open doorway after he realized his partner was no longer tagging along, and instead had solidly planted his feet on the wooden floor of Altessa's entryway.

"Come on, Genis," Mithos beckoned him with his hands. The lightning lit up the black clouds above with a bluish light, casting ominous shadows along the ground and cliff. "It's really amazing, once you're actually out here."

Genis refused to budge.

Mithos laughed good-naturedly. "You can face the biggest of monsters and run through human ranches, but you can't step outside in a little storm?" He knew he was making an ant hill out of a mountain, but it was worth a shot. "I didn't think you were afraid of anything."

"Mithos…"

The tone in Genis' voice made Mithos realize he had said something wrong.

"You can't expect that much from me," he continued quietly. "I know… I look brave, and I'm not afraid of monsters or human ranches. But this is something else… those things you can protect yourself from. You can't protect yourself from noises…"

"But I can protect you from the thunder," Mithos stepped forward and cupped his hands over Genis' ears. "Even if I can't drown the sound out entirely… thunder isn't something you should have to face. It is just what you said it was – it's noise, and nothing more."

Genis raised his hands over Mithos'. "But… it's… it's so loud… and where does it come from…?"

Mithos looked up towards the clouds in thought. "Whatever you want it to."

"What?"

"The thunder," Mithos explained, "it can come from whatever you want it to. It can be what you want it to – it's just a noise, after all. Imagine all the things it could be, and then it's not so scary."

"Raine told me that it's the sound the lightning makes."

"Well, there's a good, scientific explanation," Mithos returned his eyes to Genis. "So, then, what makes it so scary? If it is just the sound of the lightning… maybe that's the way the sky speaks…? No, that's silly."

"I like that," Genis cut in. "Kind of like Volt."

"That's right… just like Volt. Is Volt scary?"

"Not really."

Mithos lowered his hands, gripping onto both of Genis'. Moving backwards, he pulled Genis into the rain.

"It's cold!" Genis yelped.

"Is it?" Mithos asked airily as he eyed the skies once more.

"Mithos?"

"Hm?"

"I'm really sleepy…"

"Ooh! Let's get back inside! Well then," Mithos smiled at him after they had walked in and shut the door, dripping water all over the kitchen floor. "Are you going to be afraid now?"

"If it means I can still sleep in your bed…" Genis blushed, smiling right back.

Mithos lifted Genis onto the large table in the center of the kitchen and ruffled the silver hair with a towel he had taken from one of the cupboards. He chuckled.

"Yah, you can sleep with me," he said as he continued to dry off Genis.

"You need to be dry too, Mithos! I'm not sleeping with you if you're wet!"

Mithos laughed. "All right, but I think I need some help."

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**Yes… Mithos is incapable of drying himself off. We all know he just wants Genis affection. Review! points**


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